Sting embarks on "The Last Ship"

Key Points:

• Sting, originally from Newcastle, reflects on his working-class upbringing and how the city's industrial past shaped his identity and work ethic, inspiring his musical "The Last Ship" about the decline of Newcastle's shipyards.
• The musical, which Sting has developed over more than a decade, features reggae star Shaggy, with whom Sting previously won a Grammy, and has toured successfully in Europe and Australia before its upcoming run at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
• Sting emphasizes his desire to be seen as a working musician and storyteller rather than a celebrity, expressing that his pop career is only one part of his life and that he wants to be recognized for his theatre work as well.
• The artist discusses the layered meaning of his hit "Every Breath You Take," acknowledging its interpretations as both a romantic and obsessive song, and embraces the varied personal connections listeners have with it.
• Despite his long career and success, Sting continues to work out of passion and has not considered retirement seriously, stating that he enjoys working and has not prepared for a life of inactivity.